Twins Kyle and Benjamin Sharp, seventh-graders at Thurston Middle School, perform around town as the musical duo Sharp Turn Ahead.

The brothers, who both have tan skin, brown hair and braces, are seventh graders at Thurston Middle School.

They like golf and football, but music takes center stage in their lives, with the duo, known as Sharp Turn Ahead, performing pretty regularly.

Kyle and Benjamin also came out with their first CD, a compilation of three studio-recorded cover songs and their first original, "California Ain't that Far." The song tells the story of the boys' move from Austin, Texas, to Laguna Beach four years ago with their parents, Carla [mother] and Brandon [father]. Dan McKim, a songwriting friend, helped the boys write the song.

Kyle plays the guitar while Benjamin thumbs the keyboard.

They often play at the Irvine Spectrum and performed in front of 90 spectators at Hennessey's Tavern in Laguna, their first local gig, for a two-night show in February 2012.

Advertisement

"It's amazing to see their growth," Carla Sharp said at the family home. "I have that proud-mom feeling. I love seeing how the audience reacts."

On a recent Saturday, Kyle and Benjamin set up just outside of Old Navy in a courtyard at the Irvine Spectrum. Benjamin stood at the keyboard while Kyle stood to his left with a guitar. Both wore flannel shirts and jeans. They had one amplifier and two standing speakers.

They opened with a Jason Mraz song, "I'm Yours." Their father, Brandon, started filming. This was the first time they had CDs for sale.

Benjamin signed a CD during a break for a group of three girls from Mission Viejo.

Kellie O'Brien saw the brothers perform before so she and Gabby Barba brought friend Kasey Bache to hear the twins in person for the first time.

"At such a young age, they are talented," O'Brien said.

Feb. 9 also marked Bailee Conder's 12th birthday. She and her friends were going to celebrate at Knott's Berry Farm, but Conder instead transferred her party to the Spectrum to hear Sharp Turn Ahead.

"She saw [Kyle and Benjamin] performing before and have been following them on Instagram," said Ragan Conder, Bailee's mother, who had set up a table off to the side of the stage with snacks and a birthday banner with Bailee's name spelled out.

The Conders reached out to Kyle and Benjamin through Facebook and the brothers played a song just for Bailee.